A Song From The Past
by socalrose
Summary: It's Christmas Eve; a Weevil hunt doesn't quite go as planned and a wounded Jack has a flash back after hearing a certain Christmas song. One-shot.


**A Song From The Past**

"Jack, it's headed your way!" Ianto yelled into his ear comm as he dashed around the corner in hot pursuit of the Weevil.

"On my way," Jack shouted back running a little faster toward the Weevil and Ianto. His breath was coming out as little puffs of steam into the wintry Cardiff night.

The Weevil burst out of the alley onto a small side street with Ianto right behind it and came to sudden halt as Jack did the same a few feet away.

"Alright, it's a cold night," Jack said to the Weevil. "Why don't you just come quietly and we'll put you in a nice warm cell next to Janet; how does that sound?"

The Weevil looked back and saw Ianto had cut off that line of escape and growled a little at Ianto.

"Doesn't sound like he's going to cooperate, Jack," Ianto said pulling out his can of Weevil spray.

"Of course he isn't going to cooperate; he wants to interfere with my Christmas plans," Jack commented as he pulled out his own can of weevil spray. "Come on big boy," he said trying to keep the Weevil's attention on him and away from Ianto. "Let's see what you got." Jack edged a little closer to the Weevil. The Weevil only growled at first and then it bared its fangs, roared and launched itself at Jack throwing both of them to the ground. Jack roared back and rolled until he was on top of the Weevil. He sprayed the Weevil in the face and put a bag over its head. Ianto kneeled down and plunged the hypodermic needle into its neck releasing the tranquilizer knocking the Weevil out.

"You okay?" Ianto asked.

"Not really," Jack replied. He was still sitting on top of the Weevil his open great coat hiding his chest.

"Let me see," Ianto said. He gently opened Jack's coat finding the shirt soaked in blood. "Fatal?" he asked in a whisper.

Jack carefully prodded his wound before saying, "It's deep, but didn't reach the internal organs. Not fatal, just painful." He cupped Ianto's face and added, "It's okay Ianto, I'm not dying tonight, but I don't think I'm up to walking all the way to the SUV. Would you drive it over here? I'll keep pretty boy company."

"Alright," Ianto agreed and kissed Jack fiercely. "I'll be right back; don't pass out." He took off at a run.

Jack managed to get off the Weevil and sit on the ground next to it. Screeching tires announced Ianto's arrival with the SUV. "Still with me?" Ianto asked kneeling down by Jack.

"Yeah, just cold and shaky," Jack replied.

"Come on, let's get you into the SUV," Ianto said. He helped Jack get up and into the passenger seat before opening the first aid kit. Ianto pulled out some gauze pads and applied them to Jack's chest wound and gave him some pain killers. He tilted the passenger seat back so Jack was almost lying down and covered him with a thermal blanket. "That should hold you until I can get you back to the Hub. I'll throw the Weevil in the boot and we'll be off." Jack heard Ianto drag the Weevil over and toss it in the boot. The driver's door opened and Ianto climbed into the driver's seat and started the engine and cranked up the heater.

"You've stopped shaking, but you're still pale," Ianto said carding his fingers through Jack's hair. "Want me to run with lights and sirens?" he asked.

"No, I'm feeling a little better thanks to you," Jack replied. "Besides, we're not that far away from the Hub."

Ianto drove carefully so Jack wouldn't be jostled too much. Jack closed his eyes and drifted off hearing just the sounds of the SUV. As they neared the Hub Jack heard something else. Opening his eyes he asked, "Is someone singing?"

"Yeah, there are some people caroling," Ianto replied. He rolled down the window a little bit so Jack could hear the carolers. "They're pretty good too," he added stopping for a stoplight. The carolers finished singing Hark the Herald Angels Sing and started singing Silent Night. Ianto heard Jack give a little gasp. "Is something wrong, Jack?" he asked.

"No, I'm just tired," Jack replied. Ianto glanced at Jack and saw a faraway look in his eyes. He decided he would ask Jack about it later.

Once they arrived back at the Hub Ianto helped Jack down to the couch and let him rest there while he put the Weevil into a cell.

Jack opened his eyes when Ianto sat down next to him on the couch. "Pretty boy down for the night?" he asked.

"Yep, all settled in," Ianto replied. "Sure you don't want me to call in Owen to take a look at you?"

"It'll be fine as long as you clean the wound; it doesn't need stitches," Jack replied.

"Alright; I'll get the medical supplies, get your wound cleaned up and then help you into your bunker," Ianto replied. He started to get up from the couch but Jack grasped his arm and stopped him.

"I'd rather go to your flat, Ianto than stay here tonight," Jack said. Ianto saw the silent plea in Jack's eyes.

"I was only thinking of the bunker because I didn't want to drag you out into the cold night in your condition, Jack," Ianto said quietly. "But if you want to go to my flat instead, I'll get you cleaned up and take you home." Ianto placed a quick kiss on Jack's lips and headed off to get the medical supplies.

Jack closed his eyes for a few minutes. He was surprised by his strong reaction to the song; it's been over ninety years since the incident and yet the song still triggered his memories. It had caught him off guard because he was wounded and more vulnerable than usual. Ianto's footsteps brought his mind back to the present and he opened his eyes.

Ianto was quick and efficient in cleaning and bandaging Jack's chest wound and then helped him into a clean tee shirt and dark blue shirt. In no time Ianto had Jack bundled in his great coat and the thermal blanket before helping Jack into his car and taking him home to his flat.

Once Ianto had helped Jack get out of his street clothes and into pajama bottoms and a robe he tucked Jack into bed clucking at him like a mother hen. "You're still pale," he said as he laid his hand on Jack's forehead. "No fever at least; I'm going to make some hot coco."

He was back with two cups of coco in five minutes. "Here, drink this," he said handing the mug to Jack. Jack took a sip and felt the warmth flow down to his chest and stomach.

"Tastes good, thanks," he said. Jack watched as Ianto quickly stripped off his street clothes and put on a tee shirt and pajama bottoms.

"Drink all of it," Ianto instructed as he crawled into bed and grabbed his own mug of coco off the bedside table. He drank his coco and watched Jack finish his mug of coco. "You're not quite as pale now," Ianto commented. "Do you feel better?" he asked.

"Yeah, but I'm still tired," Jack replied. He handed Ianto his empty mug, which Ianto placed on the bedside table next to his own empty mug.

"Come on then, let's get comfortable," Ianto said as he gathered Jack in his arms and carefully pulled him until Jack's back was resting against his chest, his head lying against Ianto's shoulder. He carded his fingers through Jack's hair and smiled when he heard Jack's sigh.

"Not quite what I had in mind for Christmas Eve, but this is nice," Jack said.

"Jack," Ianto began, "what bothered you about the carolers' singing?" he asked.

"Hmm?" Jack replied.

"You gasped when you heard them singing Silent Night – why?" he asked Jack.

Jack hesitated before he answered. "It's a story from a long time ago," he said.

"I'm sorry Jack, I mean if it's something sad, then," Ianto began.

Jack turned his head and looked up at Ianto. "No, it's alright Ianto; it's a wondrous thing inside a sad thing – sorry I'm not making much sense, am I?" Jack asked.

"You don't have to explain if you don't want to Jack," Ianto replied.

Jack gazed at those trusting, deep blue eyes. "I haven't thought of it in awhile, but now that I have, I want to share it with you tonight," Jack said.

"I served in Europe in both World Wars," Jack began his eyes again taking on that faraway look. "In World War II, I was in the RAF, but I served in the Army during World War I. Men fighting in trenches, no man's land surrounded by barbed wire, craters from artillery and mud everywhere. Our little piece of Hell was Flanders' Field. We would charge and they would counter charge. Grenades, mortars, rifles and bayonets, so many ways to kill, so many ways to watch comrades die. But the worse was the mustard gas, Ianto – it was corrosive to the skin and mucous membranes and caused severe, sometimes fatal respiratory damage. A horrible way to die and if you were _lucky _to survive you struggled for breath the rest of your life."

Ianto wiped tears away from his eyes. "That's terrible Jack, but you said something wondrous happened – what was it?"

Jack actually surprised him by smiling. "It was Christmas Eve 1914 and the cold weather froze the mud and slush on the ground. We were miserable, huddled in the trenches and then a sentry reported he could see lights – candle lights in the German trenches. He reported the Germans were holding up a Christmas tree over their heads! But it was the music, Ianto; they were singing carols. We put our rifles down and listened to them sing; we didn't know what carols they were singing really because they were singing in German, but then they started singing Stille Nacht – Silent Night. Soon we joined in singing in English. It was such a beautiful moment Ianto.

Christmas Day a spontaneous truce broke out; soldiers on both sides laid down their weapons and ventured out into no man's land – our superior officers couldn't stop us there were too many of us. We shook hands with the German soldiers and even shared food and drink with one another. Christmas Eve and Christmas Day no one died."

"A wondrous thing inside a sad thing," Ianto said in awe. "So when you heard the carolers start singing Silent Night,"

"It took me back to that time when a war stopped for Christmas," Jack said.

"Thank you for sharing that moment with me, Jack," Ianto said kissing the top of Jack's head.

Jack looked up at Ianto, "I love you Ianto Jones. Merry Christmas."

"Merry Christmas Jack," Ianto replied kissing him goodnight.

* * *

**A note from Socalrose: This is a fictional account of an actual event - The singing of Silent Night by both the Germans and the Allies actually did happen along with the spontaneous truce on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day in 1914 in Europe.**

**Merry Christmas – Everyone!**


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